RECORDS. 689 



attached to the rubble-stone along the beach. Equally im- 

 portant, and as magnificent in size were the Echinoderms. The 

 Asteroids, Cribrella, the large 20— 24-rayed forms and other 

 species were easily obtained fi-om the piles. Most notable of 

 the Echinoderms, was a species of Echimis and SplK^recliinus, 

 the latter in countless numbers. Of the several species of 

 Holothurians obtained, the most remarkable is the giant Holo- 

 tJiuria californica. Hcrneteaiis of unfamiliar species occur 

 abundantly. Balanoglossits had been found there in former 

 years. Annelids were abundant in the sand and a large sessile 

 annelid, with a strong leathery tube, was found attached to 

 the piles. Their luxuriant brown tentacles alternating with 

 the white anemones, form in the green water a wonderful picture. 



Among the mollusca the most remarkable in point of size is 

 the large Cryptodiiton stelleri mentioned in the report of the 

 Columbia University Expedition of 1896. In variation the lim- 

 pets of Puget Sound are indeed marvellous. Gradations were 

 found from the smooth brown limpet found on the piles, to a 

 rougher, grayish form on the granite boulders, on to the corru- 

 gated white ones, found among the barnacles, which also grew 

 upon the boulders. In the latter situation, the ridges on the 

 limpets began at the top of the shell and extended radially to 

 the periphery, closely resembling the barnacles themselves in 

 external markings and in color. 



The Crustacea of the Sound are not especially remarkable. 

 Under the bark of the piles, giant and small isopods were 

 found abundantly. The small ones are credited by Mr. Henry 

 F. Moore, of the U. S. Fish Commission with eating the piles 

 through at a point between low and high water marks. 



Puget Sound is especially rich in Ascidians, and there are 

 said to be twenty-five species there. One species of simple 

 tunicate as yet undescribed attains the length of nearly five 

 inches. 



Dr. Howe gave an account of the various means by which 

 the ganectophyte in the Hepaticae reproduces itself without the 

 intervention of the asexual phase. Allusion was made to the 

 formation of the easily detached proliferous branches in Mctz- 



